Professor Granger's Puzzle
by Meladara
Summary: Hermione finds a certain amount of comfort that her deepest darkest secret is securely hidden in the Arithmantic puzzle encircling her classroom. However, when a certain dark wizard decides to break her code, she must face the fact that the tenuous balance on which she has built her life could come crashing down at any moment.
1. Chapter 1

******_The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story._**

**A/N: This is a 5 parter, each chapter will be rather short. But if your looking for a fluffly HEA that is predictably cheesy, then you've come to the right place. Thank you to Karelia for the beta. You're the best and give the greatest gifts of commas ever. :P**

**~Meladara~**

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Professor Granger's Puzzle

Chapter One

Professor Hermione Granger's Arithmancy puzzle is the stuff of legend at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Well, recent legend, at least. As the resident Arithmancy professor for the last five years, Professor Granger allows all her students the opportunity to decode the huge equation that encircles the entire perimeter of her classroom, and though many have tried, none have succeeded. Such is the a complexity of the computation, it has even been rumoured that several master-level Arithmancy colleagues of the professor made an effort to solve it but failed. And this is exactly how Professor Granger wants things.

~oOOOo~

Originally, the puzzle had been an incentive to get her students involved and keep them engaged in her class. It was her first year of teaching, and as an inexperienced teacher, she was having a particularly difficult time keeping her seventh-year students engaged. It was a desperate attempt she knew, but unable to come up with another tool to motivate them and frustrated beyond belief at her students inability to focus, she promised them that over the spring holiday she would encode a secret into an Arithmantic riddle. The first to solve the puzzle would win a prize. However, when the professor had made this promise, she failed to consider the potential for trouble in doing so.

Over that spring break holiday, five years ago, Hermione Granger had thought long and hard on which secret to include in the algorithm for the puzzle. What should it be? She had many secrets, belonging both to her and to others. Knowing that she could not impart upon her students a secret belonging to another, she had to face the reality that it would have to be a secret of her own. Furthermore, as she began the project, she quickly discovered that in her frantic and earnest attempt to engage her students, she had magically bound herself into including a tried and true deep-secret. Something so powerful that no other person knew. Immediately, she had known what knowledge she would have to impart; there was only one secret that was strong enough to satisfy the magic of her promise.

Aghast at this realisation, Professor Granger finally decided that if she had to share her secret with the world, then the least she could do was protect it in the most-complex magical equation ever created. Carefully, she had worked late into the nights that holiday, magically encoding her secret. Into the equation she also built in a series of fail safes that ensured, just before anyone solved the riddle, she would be notified and they would be bound to silence on the topic. Of course, the professor justified the use of the master-level secrecy clause under the premise that it would spoil it for others if the secret were told, but truly, she knew better.

As far as the prize, she decided that any student capable of solving the equation would be rewarded with a letter of recommendation, a dinner in Hogsmeade with a friend—supervised of course—and to the first person that solved it: 100 galleons.

~oOOOo~

For five years now the puzzle has sat unsolved. Professor Granger lives in relative contentment that the security surrounding her secret is sufficient, and although it does sometimes prickle her nerves that her secret is there for anyone to find, she sleeps at night with relative ease.

However, there is one major factor that Professor Granger has not considered, and that is Professor Severus Snape. Hermione Granger is aware, of course, that Professor Snape is a brilliant man who is extremely knowledgeable in many subjects. Indeed, she even knows that he is a rather good Arithmancer, but she never counted on him having any active interest in solving her puzzle. After all, he never paid her any mind otherwise, why should he care about the puzzle encircling her classroom.

~oOOOo~

When Professor Severus Snape had first heard of her puzzle and reward, he'd scoffed. It was a rookie move and would not truly encourage the students to learn in the long-term. No doubt, he'd thought initially, that it was a purposefully easy problem applied to the situation in order to falsely boost self-esteem and morale among her bored students. However, as the years passed and the stories of Professor Granger's Arithmancy puzzle grew, Professor Snape, against all odds, found himself intrigued.

Then, this summer, Professor Granger had invited two Arithmancy colleagues round for a few days, and they too had tried to solve her riddle—much to her chagrin, he had noted. But they failed just as all others before them. Indeed, he'd overheard them talking about it as they had dined.

'_The utter beauty and complexity of such a problem,'_one had raved. Then they had gone on to hypothesize that the magical calculation had somehow taken on the characteristics of the encoded secret itself and, indeed, was so magically complex that it was solvable only by the creator and perhaps only a few others in the entire world.

After that he knew that he had to see it.

There was simply something utterly enticing about an unsolvable puzzle. It was a true challenge, and Severus Snape loved a challenge. Surely he would be able to work through it. He knew he wasn't technically an Arithmancy master, but he was exceptionally skilled in the subject and certainly better than any seventh year in this school.

And that is exactly how Severus Snape had found his way to her abandoned classroom one afternoon, just days before the new school year was to begin.

~oOOOo~

He entered the room and immediately began to study the writing that encircled her room. It was stunning and clearly the most complicated piece of Arithmancy he'd ever seen. It was clear why this was the fifth year the puzzle would be unsolved. Truly, he doubted that this year there would be anyone smart enough among the student body to crack even the first few sequences. Amazed at the intricate beauty of the problem, he thought, I_f Arithmancy is an art, then this equation is a masterpiece._

After an hour of painstakingly copying it all, he quickly ran a spell of his own devising to make sure that he'd made no mistakes, and then he returned to his dungeon chambers, thankful that Professor Granger had continued her yearly tradition of leaving the castle to visit her dunderheaded friends in the days before the start of the school year. As he settled in for the evening with a brandy close at hand, he began his work, intent on solving her puzzle, if at all possible, before the start of the new school year.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Here you are, dears. I hope you enjoy. I didn't warn you before, my chapters for this fic will be really short. ;) Just stick with me; fluff and nonsense will come, I promise. ~Mel~

_The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story._

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Professor Granger's Puzzle

Chapter Two

It was traditional for Hermione to spend the last week of her summer holiday with Harry and Ron and their large, overly loud families. She enjoyed the a wholesome week full of delicious food, sweet children, and old friends. Ginny and Luna were always thrilled to have her around, and the children all adored their Annie Minnie. She'd earned that moniker from little Jamie a year prior after he tried his hardest to call her Auntie Hermione as the adults had prompted. But alas, his little tongue could not do it, and instead, she'd been Annie Minnie ever since.

Thankful for the respite her friends provided before she took on the craziness that was Hogwarts during the school year, Hermione relished the time she was able to spend with her friends. She loved watching the happy couples interact together, Ginny with Harry, Luna with Ron, and she held a special place for each member of their families in her heart. Her only regret was that she couldn't visit them more often. This single week of noisy happiness gave her something that she cherished throughout the rest of the year. It didn't even bother Hermione when she received her annual ribbing about becoming an old maid. It was easy to simply laugh it off and tell them she was happy with her life as it was, and she would change it only when she found a love as true and as happy as the ones they enjoyed. Why would she settle for anything less?

Deep in her heart she knew there was more to it than that. It was no secret to her why she didn't date, why she did not go out and seek love in the world. Love had already found her; her heart irrevocably enraptured years before. However, it was simply something that could not be. He was not the type of man one simply approached and asked out for a drink, and she respected him too much for that anyhow. He'd made it clear long ago he did not desire affections, and her regard for him was so high she would never want to offend him by offering him something he did not want, especially since he had never shown any interest in her whatsoever, on any level. Until he did, she would never show him anything other than polite friendship, no matter how much her heart ached for him.

If there were two things that war had taught Hermione Granger it was: you can't always get what you want and be content with what you have, even if means you must live a life without love. She could, at the very least, find comfort in the fact that she was near him and able to share with him a distant but a scholarly life. Enjoying the rare moments when their paths crossed, she was even able to occasionally indulge, when no others were around, in a quick sit in his chair in the teacher's lounge. Where, in those rare, stolen moments, she would allow his scent to envelope her and take her away into a land of fantasy where all her wildest dreams came true. It was silly, she knew, but one does what one must when faced with an impossible situation.

And so she did. He would never know, and she would never tell.

~oOOOo~

Hermione returned from her visit on the Monday afternoon, just before the start of the new school year. With her mind on the many students that would be arriving in a number of hours, she hurriedly unpacked and then rushed to her classroom, anxious to spend those last few hours of her holiday making a few last-minute preparations. There wasn't much to do, simple organization mostly. As she worked, she thought about the year ahead of her. After five years of teaching, she genuinely enjoyed her job, even if she had only initially taken it to be closer to him. The students were a joy to be around, and her work colleagues had grown into close companions. Well, all of them had except for him.

As her mind filled with the image of the dark man who held her heart, her eyes flitted up to land on the equation surrounding her classroom. It was funny, she'd been terrified when she first made the mistake of magically promising a secret within her Arithmantic Puzzle, but now, after five years of it remaining unsolved, she found a perverse amount of comfort in the presence of her greatest secret. Its place on her walls and in her life, gave her the strength to go on when the days and night turned long and lonely, as they often did late in the school year.

As her attention moved back to the task at hand, Hermione quickly got lost in her work, and by the time she noted the hour, it was time to head down to the Great Hall. The students would arrive soon, and it wouldn't do to be late for the sorting.

~oOOOo~

Professor Severus Snape had spent the last two days locked in his rooms working on the puzzle. He was truly amazed at the brilliant mind of the creator. The witch was a bloody genius; there was no other way to put it. Why she was teaching foundational magic to adolescents he couldn't understand. With her brain, she could be working as a consultant and making millions of galleons a year, if she so desired. But no, she had tied herself to this school, much like him. He couldn't help but wonder what exactly about Hogwarts had drawn her into its halls.

His mind so full of the days and hours he'd devoted to her puzzle, he didn't even notice that his eyes locked on her as she entered the hall. Immediately, he was struck by how much she had changed over the years. She was no longer the bushy-haired member of the golden trio that he recalled from so long ago. The creature before him was a lovely woman who had to be nearly thirty.

He quickly calculated. Yes, she would be turning thirty this year, by his estimation.

How had he missed her growing up?

Severus realised suddenly that over the years she'd spent teaching he'd really never considered her at all; they rarely exchanged words or crossed paths. In his typical standoffish manner, he had dealt with her as he did all his colleagues, paying her absolutely no mind, but looking at her now, he couldn't help but feel that made an egregious error in doing so.

As she walked toward the head table, he studied her petite frame and signature wild curls which fell down to her waist in beautiful waves. He recalled that in her school days, despite her small stature, she held a fierce temper and a magical strength to rival any other. He greatly doubted that had changed.

In fact, he recalled a memory from several years ago. He had been sitting at an Order of the Phoenix meeting bored out of his mind, when he heard Potter and Weasley start to joke that as far as they were concerned Hermione was taller, stronger and far scarier than anyone else they knew. At the time he hadn't understood their reasoning and honestly was not surprised in the least that the pair would make such a seemingly stupid declaration. However, now that he had seen the brilliance of her mind, he understood.

Severus thought back to the puzzle sitting in that high castle classroom and the pages of parchment filled with his work in his dungeon. He had managed to work about two-thirds of the way through it but had hit a part he just couldn't get past. As he thought about the equation and the witch who had created it, he felt the desire to break through her code evolve and shift within him. This was no long about the thrill of solving a difficult puzzle. No. He wanted to measure up to her, to this witch with the fascinating mind. He now knew that, even if it took him all year, he would see it unravelled.

Severus glanced down the table where Hermione sat quietly speaking with Hagrid. Her eyes were fixed on the doors of the Great Hall in anticipation of the students' arrival. As Severus too turned to watch the doors, they swung open, and the peaceful, summer silence of the Great Hall broke. It was official; the school year had begun.


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: YAY! Chapter Three! Getting closer to that fluff... Just remember, I warned you. I am fulfilling my need for sappiness here, so don't be surprised when it turns super-duper cheesy. I warned you! And as such, I will also ignore all reviews that call me out on my sappy predictability! LOL! I know this fic is predictable... I don't care! I happen to think a little bit of predictability is nice every once in awhile, especially when accompanied by our favorite dark, tragic wizard! Goodness knows life is hardly ever predictable; it is the least that fic can do for us! Right?! :P Anyhow, I hope you enjoy! _**

**_I think I neglected to thank my ever-faithful beta, Laralee88, last chapter! Which was very ungrateful of me! So, double thanks to you my dear. (Thank you! Thank you!) Without you I would be lost in the fanfic world. ~Mel~_**

**_The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to J.K. Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story._**

**_(TAKE TWO: is apparently having issues... I submitted this chapter earlier but it never materialized! So here we go again!)_**

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**Professor Granger's Puzzle**

**Chapter Three**

This was officially the oddest start to a school year Professor Granger had experienced since her days as a student. It seemed that after five years of her teaching at Hogwarts, Professor Snape had suddenly decided she was actually worthy of being his colleague and not simply a student playing dress-up.

His odd behaviour started the evening of the Welcoming Feast. Hermione had felt his eyes on her throughout the evening and had immediately worried that he was upset with her over some perceived, unintended slight. However, to her utter astonishment, over the next few days he had begun to acknowledge her in the halls instead of simply acting as if she didn't exist. Hermione at first had been stunned and pleased, but in the end she had simply settled into a state of puzzlement. She couldn't fathom why he had so suddenly changed his behaviour toward her. There was no accounting for it, that he should suddenly regard her as a person worth noting after five years of indifference.

Then, there had been the incident about two weeks into the school year, which had served to further confuse her. First, she had nearly stumbled over her own feet at the sight of him holding the door to the Great Hall open for her, an amused smirk stretching across his face. But further shocking, however, had been when he followed that particular act by asking her if she was interested in sitting next to him at dinner. _'In order to more easily converse,'_ he had drawled wryly as she looked up at him in startled confusion. Hermione had stood, just inside the doors of the Great Hall, in frozen shock for a full thirty seconds, her eyes glued to the strange man as he proceeded to the high table and pulled out a chair for her. It was only when he had looked down at her, his face a mix of amusement and exasperation, that she had finally shaken herself out of the stupor and made her way to the table, all the while trying to hide to her surprise and failing miserably. That evening they had managed to passed the meal with amiable, if slightly stiff, conversation, and Hermione had left the Great Hall hovering somewhere between completely thrilled and completely baffled.

Despite her lack of understanding on the source of his change in behaviour, she could only guess that he had enjoyed their first conversation well enough as he had ensured that she sat next to him for the meals that followed. Over the next days and weeks it had become clear that,no matter what had brought it about, it seemed the change in him was here to stay.

It had been a wonder-filled time for Hermione, those weeks of conversing with the intelligent man. Though, Hermione couldn't help but feel at times like she was simply waiting for the other shoe to drop, for him to reveal what he was really up to. Her brain continually reminded her that he couldn't genuinely be interested in getting to know her, especially after so many years of cold indifference. After all, she was the Know-it-all Gryffindor Princess. It went against the grain of everything she knew about the man for him to take an interest in her.

_So, then, why would he change so suddenly?_ she continually asked herself.

Not that she didn't enjoying talking to him, she did, but she couldn't allow herself to get too attached to his company only to have him withdraw at a later date. Her life was built on a careful balance of factors, each one carefully weighed and tended by Hermione in order to maintain her sanity. As he gradually intruded upon her life, first with acknowledgment and then with conversation and blossoming friendship, she felt the key parameters that were the constants within the equation of her life being to altered.

Hermione couldn't help but be suspicious and wary. She fully realised that if she embraced the changes his presence brought and he turned out to abandon her in the end, she would be left with nothing but a house of fallen cards. In the end, however, she had decided that it was simply best that she enjoy the little blessings life brought while waiting and watching for him to reveal his motive. She would deal with the aftermath when the time came.

~o~o~o~

It was then, after some five weeks of confused and growing friendship between her and Severus Snape, that she felt it: Her first fail safe had activated. Someone was close to solving the puzzle. They hadn't progressed pass her fail safe yet, indeed each time they reworked the section she would be alerted, but she knew now it would only a matter of time.

Who was it?

While the level-headed part of her merely questioned how one of her students could be so close to solving it, especially so early in the year, the other, more emotional, part of her was panicking. Her secret was in danger. Someone would know her secret, and although they would be magically bound to keep it a secret, they could still ruin everything.

After so long living a lonely existence, this year changes had brought refreshing change. She couldn't help but reflect on the absolute irony of the situation; just when she had started making progress toward actually finding some happiness in life, finding a friend that valued her as a thinking human being, it was all being threatened. She was finally getting making progress on achieving one of her deepest desires and this could ruin everything. Still, she knew there was nothing to be done, and she would simply have to wait until whoever it was finished. Her final fail safe would ensure that she would be Summoned to the side of the person just before the last sequence was completed. Now it was only a matter of time and patiently waiting.

He'd almost gotten it. There were only two sequences left. He'd noticed the alert that had been incorporated into the equation, so he knew she was aware that someone was close to solving it.

~o~o~o~

The next morning he watched closely as she entered the Great Hall for breakfast. As she sat down next to him, he noted that she looked an absolute mess. Her hair was uncombed, her eyes were red with dark circles shadowing them. Her state thoroughly shocked him; he had not expected her to be so deeply affected by someone getting close to solving her equation. For a moment he wondered why; it was simply a puzzle, something for the students. Was it not?

Then he remembered. It was not simply an encoded puzzle or game for her students, it was an encoded secret. He'd completely forgotten that the parameters of the original challenge that had been set out five years earlier. It was clear to him now, as he looked at the haggard woman sitting next to him, that, whatever the secret was, she was obviously not looking forward to it being shared.

He was surprised to find himself contemplated to complete abandonment of the task right then and there. Over the past few weeks their conversations had really show him that she was a rare and beautiful person with an amazing mind, and he had started to truly hope that they could have a true long-term friendship.

_Perhaps it would be best to talk to her,_ he considered silently. That would enable him to assure her that, if he solved the puzzle, her secret would be safe with him. Then again, that would force him to admit that he'd been intrigued by her puzzle in the first place, and he'd have to explain how he'd taken the time to break into her classroom... Perhaps not.

He resolved that he would simply have to solve it quickly. It would be like pulling off a plaster. When the unpleasantness was over, and she was assured of her secrets safety, she could go back to being happy.

~o~o~o~

It wasn't until the half hour preceding that evening's dinner that he had managed to crack through the next to last sequence. He had opted to work in the quiet of the Great Hall so as to maximize the time he had before the start of the final meal of the day.

~o~o~o~

Hermione had been surprised when twenty minutes before the meal she'd felt the magic activate and the Summons begin. Resigned to her fate, she walked through the halls of Hogwarts allowing the pull of magic to guide her through the halls.

The door to the Great Hall slammed open and a breathless Hermione Granger stumbled through. Immediately, her eyes scanned the house tables for the student.

_Who is it? Who is it? _ she chanted silently as her eyes darted up and down the tables frantically .

She could see no one; the tables were completely void of students. The Great Hall was empty. Confused and irrational relief coursed through her, perhaps there was a mistake, perhaps it had been a false alarm. She propelled herself forward with hurried steps, bringing herself further into the hall, shaking the foolish notion from her head. There was no such thing as a false alarm when it came to this Arithmany puzzle. Desperation flooded her, she needed to find who it was, and quick. The hall would be filling with students in about ten minutes. She couldn't afford to have anyone else aware of the events just yet. After five years of the puzzle being unsolved, there was no doubt in her mind that when it got out that a student had solved the puzzle, interest in her the secret would grow.

Hermione jumped as the someone clearing their throat echoed behind her. Utterly surprised, she froze in shock, her mind reeling at the implications of the persons location. The sound came from dais reserved for the Professors.

_They're at the high table? It is a teacher... Holy Merlin!_

This was the worst case scenario. A student she could take, but not a colleague. Never had she even considered a colleague... There were too many ways that they could meddle.

Then her mind was filled with only a frantic plea as this new reality took shape:_ Please, don't be him. Please!_

Slowly, she turned to find the familiar black eyes of Severus Snape peering back at her.

He noticed that as her eyes met his, they flooded with something, a realisation of horror, or fear, or disappointment, some combination of the three. Whatever it was, Hermione Granger was not happy, and more than that, she was extremely distressed.

"Good evening, Professor Granger," he greeted calmly.

Pulling herself together as best she could, she straightened her shoulders and nodded to him. Then, as cordially as possible, she said, "And to you, Professor Snape." She began to take a step toward him before her feet faulted, her mind still stuck trying to wrap around this newest revelation, she was having problems with even the simple task walking. "It's you?" she asked suddenly as things slowly started to click into place.

"As you see."

Hermione watched him tilt his head to the side, in acknowledgement to the papers he had strewn before him. This was why he had been so interested in her. This was the reason for his friendship, why he had spent time with her. All for the solving of that stupid bloody puzzle. Hurt flooded Hermione as she felt the walls of her fragile existence being to crumble around her. She couldn't bear to look at him, couldn't bear to see him now that she understood what he was doing. Her eyes fell to the ground in defeat, and she took in a deep breath, grasping for whatever emotional control she could find.

"Well," she said, her words coming out in a hurt, quavering whisper, "you've got this far. You might as well finish it. Just... _Please_, Severus. Don't hate me in the end."

With that she looked up at him once more, her eyes full of unshed tears which were like a dagger to his heart. Then, before the sob building within her could break, she fled the hall.

~o~o~o~

The deafening quiet of the Great Hall enveloped him as he sat in rigid shock. _That_ was unexpected. What secret could she possibly have that she would not want him to know? Was knowing her secret and solving her puzzle worth causing her such pain? In a flash, he was on his feet, gathering his things and stowing them away in the deep recesses of his robes. As he too fled the Great Hall with hurried step, he knew one thing: he'd finished this one way or another tonight.


	4. Chapter 4

**_The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story._**

**A/N: I'm so sorry! Life takes over sometimes, and I simply wasn't able to get my stuff together like I planned. But here it is! The Epilogue will be posted shortly as well. I hope you enjoy me fluffity fluff! ~Mel**

**As always, Laralee88, you are the best! I wouldn't be here without you! **

* * *

**Professor Granger's Puzzle**

**Chapter Four**

Lost to the empty solitude that comes in aftermath of a good cry, Hermione sat, staring with cold eyes at the flames dancing in her hearth before a quick rapping at her door cause her to startle. Her eyes flew to the door, glinting hard at the ancient wood from which the offending noise had come. Knowing she was neither fit to be seen nor able to converse with any amount of civility, she turned back toward the fire and ignored the door and the person on the other side of it. She really didn't want to be bothered any more.

Again, a knock sounded.

Hermione shifted but did not turn to look at the door. Instead, she straightened herself with a small grimace and kept her eyes locked on light of the flames. They flickered before her, mimicking the raw emotions still simmering and churning within her. Waiting in quiet agony for the intruding person to give up and leave her in peace, she sat in silence. She knew that eventually they would get the message that she had no desire for company.

The sound came again, this time louder than before, and it succeeded in breaking through her stupor, causing her to let out a small yelp.

"Hermione," said the deep voice in the hall. "I know you in there!"

Immediately, her eyes widened, and her face paled.

_It's him. Oh, Circes!_

_Quickly, what do I do? Answer it? No. No. No._

Hermione winced as the sound, which was now more a pounding than polite knock, echoed off the walls of her rooms. This time it did not cease after a few repetitions but continued on for some time.

Hermione sighed and for once was thankful that her rooms weren't in a well-travelled area of the castle, for it seemed he was intent on making a scene. Slowly, she rose from the settee, her legs shaking beneath her. Hermione straightened her clothes to the best of her ability, and then with as much strength as she could muster, she made her way to the door and flung it open.

"What?" she demanded hotly. "Come to mock me?"

Severus was stunned speechless. Just as he had moved his fist to pound on the door yet another time, it had been flung open and before him stood Hermione, her wild beauty striking him in a single blow.

She looked up to him with fierce eyes that were swollen and red. Her hair, which had in the last few days reminded him much of her school days, was now in complete disarray, and her clothes, which were normally impeccable, were now crumpled and creased. But the most prominent feature he could see upon her was the many tear tracks staining her cheeks. She stood before him like a fallen and wild angel ready for a final battle, and he couldn't help but feel inadequate to the task set before him. His eyes locked on her as he stared intensely.

Hermione stood stubbornly before him, his gaze heavy upon her, stirring things to her that she had long repressed. Gradually, she felt her cheeks begin to grow hot, her heart to twinge, and her breath to catch. Tightening her eyes against the onslaught, she gasped out a harsh but breathy, "Well?"

Severus startled out of his scrutiny of her. "Well, what?" he muttered with exasperation in his voice.

"What do you mean? You are the one who was banging on my door, demanding I open it," she said with frustration. "Obviously you've finished it, and you want to come and mock me."

Severus took a deep breath, his eyes tearing away from her and peering down the empty corridor. He ground out in a voice that was little more than a hushed growl, "Can we not do this in the hall?"

Hermione, upset but still of sound mind, realized the wisdom of his words. With a small nod, she stepped back, allowing him entrance into her rooms. His eyes quickly darted about the domain of the fascinating witch as he walked passed her. In his typical quiet and dignified manner, he didn't not wait for an invitation to sit or stand upon ceremony. Instead, he simply planted himself firmly on her settee and then fixed his expectant eyes upon Hermione as she struggled with what to do with herself. Finally, she walked to the sofa and sat in silence, waiting for whatever words he felt he needed to express.

As he watched her walk across the room and then sit, he was surprised by her utterly defeated air. Where was the confident woman from the past weeks? She seemed completely resigned to whatever fate held for her. It was all very unlike what he knew of her.

Moments ticked by as they sat, both unsure what to say or do. Then his voice began, a quiet wave from his lips, breaking the thick silence that had settled between them.

"Hermione, when I started working through the puzzle it was simply because I enjoy a challenge. However, when I actually study the equation itself, I was stunned. It is...," he paused trying to grasp at an adequate way to show her what he thought of her puzzle. "Well, for lack of a better term, it is bloody brilliant. I have never seen such an intricately wrought piece of Arithmantic magic. It did not cross my mind until I saw your reaction after I hit the first failsafe that there was a secret involved. A secret you are clearly not comfortable sharing."

His eyes closed for a moment as his hand found the bridge of his nose, and he took in a deep breath. "It was never my intent to hurt you or seek out your secret. I respect you too much to do that. In the last few weeks, I thought that we'd become something close to friends, and as such, I would never invade your privacy."

"I don't understand," Hermione said with quiet confusion.

Severus looked up from the spot he'd been unconsciously studying on the floor. Her voice sounded too broken and timid. It hurt that he'd inadvertently caused her so much distress. Reaching across the sofa and taking her hand in his, he noted that her hand was soft, small and fit perfectly in his. As his thumb drew small comforting circles on the back of her hand, his eyes looked into hers.

Hermione quaked as intense agitation pulsing through her. What was happening here? Only moments ago she'd been lost in despair, and then, suddenly, he was here with her holding her hand.

"I didn't finish it, Hermione," he told her with a soft squeeze to her hand. "The secret is yours, and obviously it is one that you are not ready to share. It is not my place to take it from you, and certainly not for the pleasure of solving a puzzle."

As relief flooded her she felt her eyes once again began to well up with tears. It was safe. He did not know.

"I don't understand," she said. Seeing the puzzled look growing on his face, she realised he need further clarification. "You did that for me? Why would you do that?"

"Well," he said before taking a deep breath, "when I eventually remembered that there was a secret involved I thought to lessen your pain by solving it as quickly as possible. I told myself that no matter what the secret involved, I would safeguard it as my own. However, when you came in, the look in your eyes was enough to stay my hand. It sickened me to know that something I was doing had caused such a look in your eyes, had caused you such distress. Honestly, I could not bear it. No puzzle it worth that, Hermione. You are worth more than that."

Hermione gasped, the blood immediately draining from her face. His word processed through her stress addled mind, echoing within her and forever changing her understanding of the man sitting next to her. Struck by this flash of insight, Hermione watched as her vision momentarily grew dark and the world around her started to swim. Swaying slightly she took a deep breath and was relieved when the room again steadied and her vision cleared. And in that moment, with her head light and heart aching, she knew: It was time. The time that she never thought would come was here.

"Severus," she said, her voice a mere whisper, "where are your papers?"

He reached into his robe and withdrew a bundle of parchment, offering it to her.

Shaking her head, she smiled weakly. "I didn't understand before, but now I do. You need to finish it. I want you to finished it," she said with a small sniffle. Sensing his reluctance, she continued, her voice and demeanor growing stronger and more peaceful by the second, "I need you too, Severus. I don't want my secret anymore."

Severus studied her for a moment, searching her face for any hesitation, and when he found none, he asked with grave sincerity, "Are you sure?"

Hermione simply gave him a small, confident nod and then allowed her eyes to fall to the crumpled parchment in his hands, waiting for him to take action.

Placing the bundle parchment on the table and drawing self-inking quill he'd been using earlier, he turned and began his work. For many minutes he wrote, placing number after number, value after value, and rune after rune. When he finally he reached the end, he carefully drew the closing symbol and activated the magic that would unlock the secret message. As his quill left the parchment, his eyes immediately looked to Hermione.

She was fixedly watching the magical numbers on the paper swirl and twist. "It still amazes me," she whispered, "the magic of numbers." As if she could feel his eyes on her, she looked up and smiled before gesturing to the paper.

Severus looked down and could see that it was coming to the end of the magic. The decoding would be complete in seconds. The numbers swirled in the middle of the page until they were a maelstrom of ink, and then, as the blur of ink slowly separated into swirling letters, four words floated into the centre of the page.

_I Love Severus Snape._

Severus felt the world drop out from underneath him and his brain completely shut down. The entirety of his awareness instantly shrunk down to the four little words on the paper before him.

_She loves me?!_ he cried in his mind. _What could she possibly love about me?_

His eyes darted up in confusion. Again, searching her face as he thought about the woman in question, the woman nervously sitting next to him.

_Is she serious? Could this be a mistake of some sort? A prank? No, that couldn't be right, not after her reaction in the Great Hall._

He shook his head, trying to understand the input he was receiving and failing utterly. There was no doubt that she was sincere. He checked the parchment again. Perhaps he had read it wrong. But no, the four words stood unchanged before him.

_I love Severus Snape._

His chest tightened, reminding him that he'd not taken in a breath recently. Gasping, he looked up from the paper, his wide eyes meeting hers.

"Severus?" she whispered.

His face was growing flush, and the furrowing of his brow was growing deeper with each passing second.

"Truly?" he asked, his voice nearly cracking.

Hermione nodded as her eyes filled with tears. Biting her lip, she sat for a moment, not sure where to look, what to say, or how to say it. She knew she could not leave things as they were. Finally, taking a deep breath, she steeled herself internally and said, "Don't worry. I'm not looking for a declaration in return. I know you don't return the sentiments, and honestly, I have never really held much hope for it anyway. But after these last five weeks… And then today… I thought maybe it was time for me to stop hiding. You deserve that much, and perhaps, someday..."

For a time, thick silence once again stretched between them, the air standing heavy around them keeping them in place.

Inside, she could feel the weight and creep of dread start to tingle in the depths of her stomach. She knew that this wouldn't last, this quiet moment of uncertainty, and she resolved that when he finally spoke she would willing take whatever words he gave her, whether they be harsh or kind.

He said nothing as his eyes studied her. They were filled with innumerable questions that he couldn't begin to understand how to voice. This was a completely new situation for him. What was he to do?

When he finally did speak, the inadequacy of his words left him feeling like a dunderheaded adolescent. "Hermione. I don't know what to say," he heard his lips utter before he stop them. Then, again he acted without thinking, his hand reach forward and again grasped hers and words again began to tumble from his lips, clarifying things that he'd felt but never truly understood.

"I have to confess that I did not see you as anything more than a former student until I started working on your equation. I kept away from you for the same reasons that I have pushed everyone away in my life. I was under the impression that my life was good enough as it was and that I didn't need anyone else in it to be happy. But then, once I started working on the puzzle, I found myself unaccountably fascinated by your mind, by you. Your Arithmancy truly is a work of art, and the fact that its entire purpose it is to protect such a message..." His voice trailed off, not quite sure if he could voice exactly how he felt about that particular aspect of this turn of event, not sure if he even understood how he felt about the events anyway. After a few breaths he picked up the account of his actions and intent these past weeks.

"We've worked together for five years, and I never saw you for who you were. However, from the moment you walked in the Great Hall all those weeks ago, I must confess that you were all I could see. It was as if the curtains had been thrown back and I could not help but see the light that you brought into the world. After that, I was flooded with the absurd need to speak to you. I wanted to know how your brain worked, to understand you opinions and motivations, to better know you. And so, I asked you to sit with me, only to be drawn in further. There were times when I would find myself wondering what you would say about an essay or journal article I had read. I don't do that; I do not seek the opinions of others. I should not care, but for some reason that I do not fully understand, I do. It was as if the equation was telling me the message long before I ever finished it, driving and feeding this obsession. And tonight… The knowledge that I was doing something which caused you to hurt... That is why I didn't finish it. It wasn't worth it."

The tears which had been slowly filling her eyes finally reached their limit, and a single tear dropped and fell to wet her cheek. Gently, he reached up with his free hand and wiped it away, "Do you not see, Hermione? My heart it already yours."

His words echoed around her, slamming into her with such ferocity that her vision started to swim and a guttural sob instantly leapt forward in her chest. With a sharp and jarring jerk, Hermione wrenched herself from the settee and turned away from him, hiding the intensity of her reaction as best she could. Collapsing to the floor, her body began to shake as she wept loudly into her hands.

Severus lowed himself to the floor beside her as his heart pounded in his chest and desperately pleaded, "Hermione, I am sorry, I didn't know before. I was fool not to see, to waste years being blind to you. But I see you now. You are a beautiful, brilliant woman, who is kind and generous and a bloody fabulous teacher. Would you be willing to accept the favour of my attentions, as a friend, as a suitor, as a lover? Hell, I would happily take you as my wife if you deemed it acceptable, but please don't hide from me.

Her sobbing shook with renewed vigour as he fell silent, and he could not tell if it was from relief or distress. Reaching for her shoulders, he gently turned her toward him, and when she looked up, it was with a watery, shaky smile. Words were lost to her as she nodded and allowed him to pull her into his arms. Neither of them could describe the feelings they currently were experiencing. Joy, happiness, contentment, and relief were all there, but there was something more. Completeness.

Reverently, Severus pressed a kiss into her hair before moving on to her ear where he whispered, "You are a mess, my dear." His hand stroked her wild hair in a futile effort to tame it.

Hermione snorted and gently hit him in the arm. "Not my fault. I've had no sleep and more than a few cries."

"Indeed. And still you are as beautiful as ever," he teased.

Hermione let out a wet snort and then quickly grabbed a tissue. Between blows she said, "I'm not sure if that is a compliment or not, Snarky Potions Master."

"Now that is true. I cannot deny it," he sighed dramatically with an eyebrow raised.

"Oh, Merlin! Can you imagine Harry and Ron's reactions?" Hermione asked before collapsing against Severus in a fit of heady giggles.

"Your friends will get over it, eventually, I'm sure. You, however..."

Hermione's fit ended suddenly as she felt his lips press into her neck. As she snuggled up against Severus, she whispered, "I have no desire to ever get over this, Severus."

Slowly, he gathered her in his arms and moved them both back onto the sofa. "And for that, I am profoundly grateful."

As she sat in his lap with her face inches from his, she could feel the warmth of their mingling breath stirring between them. Carefully bringing her hand up to stroke his cheek, Hermione touched him with reverent wonder, relishing the fact that could finally take the liberties she had always longed for.

Then his lips were upon hers, soft, warm and gentle. With eyes fluttering closed, she savoured the feeling and taste of the man she loved. As they kissed each other with light touches that burned with inner heat, they both knew that nothing would ever be the same for them again. After a lifetime of being lost, they had finally come home.  
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	5. Epilogue

**_A/N: So, here is the ending. I hope you enjoyed my little bit of fluff... I figured since you were all so patient last week, with the posting problems, I would go ahead and just post the epilogue for you as well! Thank you for all you kind reviews! I truly enjoy sharing! ~Mel_**

**_Laralee88 -You're still my betaing hero! )_**

**_The characters and canon situations in the following story belong solely to JK Rowling, Scholastic and WB. I am not making any money from the publishing or writing of this story._**

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**Professor Granger's Puzzle**

**Epilogue**

"What do you mean you're bringing someone?" Harry and Ron exclaimed simultaneously.

Hermione laughed. "What you do mean, what do I mean?! I'm bringing someone to Christmas dinner. Someone. A person. A warm body. A man. What's not to understand?"

Ginny shrieked and flew at Hermione, enveloping her in a hug. "You met someone? Who? When? Tell me?" she crowed as she jumped up and down. Then, unceremoniously grabbing Hermione and dragging her over to Luna, who was in the kitchen, she proceeded to assault her with questions.

Hermione looked over at Harry and Ron with amusement as she was dragged from the room; they were completely stunned. For all their years of teasing, it seemed that they still had a hard time believing that their little Hermione was a grown woman. She would always be a little sister to them.

_Just wait until they meet my date_, she mused, her eyes alight at the thought of it.

"So, who is it?" Ginny asked when they finally got her alone.

"I'm sorry Ginny, but you'll just have to wait and see." Hermione teased.

"Oh, Come on! You know you can tell us. We don't care who you date, just that you're happy."

"Thanks, I'm glad that you all care so much about me, but I still think I will keep this to myself." Her eyes sparkled impishly at them as she stifled a giggle.

Ginny huffed, her arms crossing and hip jutting out just so, while Luna merely nodded with sage understanding.

"Well, can't you at least tell us where you met," Ginny whinged. "Have you slept with him yet? Was it good? What does he do? Do we know him?"

A bright blush spread across Hermione face. She had forgotten how blunt Ginny could be when she got excited.

"Ginerva," Luna chided, "I'm sure Hermione will tell us everything when she is ready."

"Thank you, Luna. And as for you, Miss Nosey Pants, your answers are: no, no comment, no comment, definitely no comment, and yes.

Luna simply watched Hermione with quiet consideration as Ginny reviewed Hermione's answers and her aforementioned questions.

After a moment Ginny gasped. "We know him and you slept with him."

"I said no such thing," Hermione teased with a laugh.

"You said no comment, and that means yes, because if you hadn't, you wouldn't have a problem telling me. So, was it good?"

Once again, Hermione blushed, and then, in a hushed whisper, she said, "Alright. Fine. You win. Yes and yes. Of course it was good! He's not the kind of man to do that poorly. Now, if you don't mind I need to go. He's expecting me for dinner and I don't want to be late."

"Alright. You better say bye to the boys. They still seem a bit flustered." Ginny said as she peeked through the door into the sitting room where the boys still sat.

"For Merlin's sake! What are they going to do when I actually bring him?" Hermione said with a sigh.

"Don't worry, Hermione. We'll make sure they are fully prepared and on their best behaviour. Perhaps you can have Professor Snape send over a calming draught before you arrive we and we will slip some in their drinks just before you arrive." Luna suggested with a small smile.

At the mention of Professor Snape, Hermione's eyes jumped up to Luna's, like a deer caught in the wandlight. Luna smirked knowingly, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Bye, Hermione. We'll see you in two weeks," Ginny said as she hugged Hermione.

"Bye Ginny, Luna," Hermione said before popping her head through the sitting room door and calling to her boys, "Bye, my boys. You'll behave at Christmas or else. I'll have your promises."

Harry and Ron jumped up and rushed to embrace Hermione, the pair of them smirking as they squeezed her tight.

Rolling her eyes and huffing at their typical boisterous and juvenile behaviour, she smacked them each on the chest until they released her.

"We promise," Harry said.

"We'll behave," Ron added.

"Good boys," she said with relief. "Now, I'll see you soon." Grabbing her bag, Hermione waved to Ginny who was on her way upstairs to check on her napping children. Then she walked to the door and opened it. Luna smiled and pulled Hermione into a final hug before she could slip out. "Take care, Hermione," she said. "I'm glad you finally have found happiness. You both have more than earned it."

Hermione pulled back and looked at Luna in alarm. "Um... Thanks, Luna."

"Your secret is safe with me," she whispered

"Sometimes, I think I'll never understand you, Luna. But I couldn't ask for a better friend."

As a smiling Hermione Apparated away, it was with genuine hope for a happy future growing in her heart.


End file.
